The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-02
SAMUEL E.. PERKINS.

| SAMUEL E.. PERKINS.
Recent events have made this man conspic-
uous. Just now he is the target for the vilest
abuse the Sim Coy gang and their organ can
heap on him. They cannot find language to
express their loathing and contempt for him.
This is the pot calling the kettle black. But
it was not always So The pot and kettle got
along very nicely together for many years.
What about Perkins7 In the first place, he is
original, dyed-in- the-wool Democrat. His
father before him Democrat, and the
son was born and brought up in the faith. He
has voted the straight Democratic ticket all
his life. More than that, he has been one Of
the reliable Democratic workers and an active
ward politician, always in the secrets of the
ring and a trusted member. His political
sympathies and associations naturally led
him into the Coy gang. At heart Perkins is
not as bad as some others of the gang. Par
tisan politics and other circumstances made
him an intimate of Coy. They had dealings
together outside of politics. The public
knows of at least one transaction, the details
of which accidentally came to light, in which
Coy and Perkins jointly went bail for pro-
fessional thief, with the object of making
money by the transaction. The thief got off,
Coy got his share of the plumber, and Perkins
was left in the lurch. Coy made cat's-paw
Of him in that case, as he doubtless did in
others. Such men as Coy always keep dunn
mics in front of them, and are hard to catch.
When the investigation of the tally sheet for
geries began, suspicion pointed to Perkins
of the perpetrators, and he with others of
the gang made defendant in the pro-
ceedings that were instituted. When the
case came up before the United States com
missioner, and it was determined to test his
jurisdiction, Perkins was selected to make the
test. At that time he was carrying the Sc
crets of the gang locked up in his breast, and
was shielding them. AS long as he kept his
mouth shut and refused to testify he was the
biggest man of the lot. While he stood
between them and harm he was a
great man. Nobody impugned his Democracy
or his good-fellowship then. When he re-
fused to testify in the commissioners court,
and went to Jail rather than tell what he
knew, they lauded him to the skies He was
the hero of the hour, brave citizen standing
up for his rights, a true Democrat resisting
the encroachments of tyranny, and all that
ing as a cat's-paw for Coy and standing be-
tween the defendants and the law. In Jail he
a distinguished prisoner, as Coy was later
He was a representative Democrat. The pro-
ceedings of the committee of one hundred
were denounced as political persecution, and
Perkins was voluntary victim-a noble sac
rifce on his part in defense of American lib
erty. He was Democratic martyr. All this
because he refused to tell what he knew AS
long as he kept his mouth shut, and was will
prosecution to save other members of the gang
from the penitentiary, he was good Demo
crat brave and noble fellow, martyr to the
cause of liberty. But at last Perkins got tired
of acting scape- goat for the gang. He re-
allied that Coy had been using him as cats
paw, and, with others of the gang, was now
using him for a shield. His taste of Jail life
in the role of Democratic martyr had not
enamored him of it. He knew when he had
enough. He saw he was bearing the brunt of |
the battle, and being ground between the up
per and neither millstones. Perhaps he prayed |
over the situation, as Hisey did. Anyhow he |
concluded to open his mouth, and, in the |
classic language of Grover Cleveland, to 'tell |
the truth" The rest is recent history Par- |
kins's story was undoubtedly true in all its |
main features It bears internal evidence Of |
truth and is corroborated by antecedent and
concurrent events, by numerous material cir
strongest kind. His story was undoubtedly
true. But the gang outnumbered him, and,
with the aid of seven perjured jurymen, were
enabled to escape conviction. Now what do
we sect Perkins is no longer q brave man.
good fellow, champion of personal rights,
Democratic victim and martyr. Since he has
told the truth the Sentinel calls him "a poor,
miserable, depraved wretch, a confessed felon,
perjurer and forger, as morally deformed as
any creature in or out of hell-a venal villain,
compared with whom the betrayer of Christ
was spotless gentleman" aud much more of
the same sort. AS long he shielded the
they would kill him if they dared. Perkinss
only sin. in their eyes, is that after holding
out SO long he finally made clean breast of it.
THIS MIGHT HAVE PLEASED THEM